Chapter 648: Persisting in Stubbornness
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Fu Mingzheng entered to find this scene: his father, who had been full of life before he left home, now lay lifeless on the bed, and his once vibrant and cheerful sister was kneeling in a daze beside their father.
Even though he had been informed of the situation and had mentally prepared himself, seeing it in person was unbearable. He turned his head away, took several deep breaths to swallow his tears, forcing himself not to cry, forcing himself to stay calm.
Seeing him arrive, Mu Gugu signaled to the imperial physician Zhang and the palace attendants to leave, allowing the siblings to speak privately.
“Mingzhu, I’m here to take Father home.” Fu Mingzheng walked over, knelt beside Mingzhu, bowed to Fu Cong, and whispered, “Father, I’m an unfilial son for arriving too late.”
He had wanted to accompany Fu Cong to the palace, but the situation outside was too perilous. With his elder brothers absent, Fu Mingqing too frail, and Fu Lin too young, the responsibility of protecting the family and coordinating with Yuwen Chu fell on him, making it impossible for him to leave.
Hearing Fu Mingzheng’s voice, Mingzhu finally broke into tears. “It’s my fault. If I were smarter and more capable, would Father not have to die?”
Fu Mingzheng quickly supported her shoulders, speaking firmly, “It has nothing to do with you. Don’t overthink. Before leaving, Father said if he were to die, we should bury him in a sunny spot in the suburbs of the capital, and after Mother’s passing, we should return them both to Jiangnan to be buried in the family tomb. He knew this journey was dangerous, so don’t blame yourself.”
Saying this, he too couldn’t help but break into sobs.
Outside, hearing their cries, Mu Gugu’s expression also turned sorrowful. However, seeing the time, she had to remind them, “The hour is getting late. If you don’t leave now, it will get dark and the journey will be difficult for Prime Minister Fu.”
Fu Mingzheng wiped his tears forcefully. “Thank you for your concern, Mu Gugu. We’ll leave now.” He instructed the servants to bring in a rattan chair covered with blankets and carefully placed Fu Cong onto it. Mingzhu and he, one on each side, escorted him out.
The carriage had special permission to come close to Changxin Palace. After settling Fu Cong, the siblings went to bid farewell and express their gratitude to the Great Empress Dowager.
Outside the Great Empress Dowager’s hall stood numerous members of the royal family and officials waiting to be summoned, with Yuwen You at the forefront. Yuwen You had shed his armor for mourning attire and wore a sorrowful expression, as if he were truly grieving for Yuwen Bai’s death.
Seeing Mingzhu and Fu Mingzheng approach, the crowd had varied reactions. Led by Qi Wang, the pro-Ying faction sent Qi Wang forward to express their condolences, stating how deeply saddened they were by Fu Cong’s misfortune.
Fu Mingzheng managed to hold back his tears, but Mingzhu couldn’t and started crying on the spot. Choking up, she said, “Thank you, uncles and brothers, for your concern. If my father knew of your sympathies, he would be very comforted.” At this moment, she was not Ying Wangfei; she was just Fu Cong’s youngest daughter, respectful to anyone who expressed grief over her father’s misfortune.
Mingzhu thought this way, but others saw it differently.
They saw Yuwen Chu’s rise to power. Although Yuwen Guang was about to ascend the throne and the Great Empress Dowager still held onto power, everyone could see that Yuwen Chu had already taken control of the capital and the palace, leaving the Great Empress Dowager with no choice but to compromise. Without any surprises, the Great Empress Dowager would eventually pass away, and the young emperor might not survive to maturity, making Yuwen Chu a significant figure in the empire.
Therefore, Mingzhu’s humble and sincere demeanor was seen as a display of low-key virtuousness and exceptional composure. Those who hadn’t thought highly of her before now found her impressive, fitting her role as Fu Xiang’s daughter and the rightful Ying Wangfei.
Yuwen You stood to the side, watching coldly, his lips tightly pressed together. For some reason, seeing Mingzhu crying so heartbrokenly gave him a strange sense of déjà vu, as if he had seen her in such despair before. But where? He couldn’t remember. Perhaps it was in a dream. He hated her, hated the Fu family, and so he dreamed of seeing Fu Cong dead, of seeing her in unbearable pain. Perhaps he had finally dreamed it and remembered her in this state.
But he didn’t feel as happy as he imagined.
Like that day, when he coldly told her, “Ying Wangfei, just consider it as sacrificing for the emperor,” he thought he had conquered his inner demons, defeated Fu Mingzhu and Yuwen Chu, a cause for celebration. But he wasn’t happy, and he knew clearly that the ease with which he spoke those words was because he had decided to use Yuwen Cong to take Mingzhu away and then seize her back for his own use.
Unfortunately, Yuwen Cong turned out to be a fool—useless in critical moments. He lost her so easily, forcing Yuwen You to rack his brains to find another opportunity.
Watching Mingzhu, Yuwen You thought, if he captured her and she repented, knelt, and begged him, he might reluctantly forgive her and give her another chance to love him. If she remained stubborn, he would kill Yuwen Chu and destroy everything she cherished! He needed to stand firm first. He withdrew his gaze indifferently, pretending not to see Mingzhu.
Mingzhu felt his gaze but when she looked up, Yuwen You had already turned away. She watched his back, then whispered to Fu Mingzheng, “Fourth Brother, that day he not only had Yuwen Cong take me away but also told me to consider it as sacrificing for the emperor.”
Fu Mingzheng glanced at Yuwen You and said coolly, “I’ll remember that.”
Yuwen You felt uneasy and quickly turned his head, meeting Fu Mingzheng’s gaze. He looked provocatively at Fu Mingzheng, who responded with a contemptuous smirk, his first smile since entering the palace—a cold one.
The Great Empress Dowager soon summoned Fu Mingzheng and Mingzhu. Her spirits were low, and she might have shed tears but concealed it. She asked a few simple questions and then had Yuwen Guang, who was sitting next to her, speak.
Yuwen Guang, usually seen as reclusive and reticent, spoke eloquently this time, expressing sadness and surprise and then bestowing medicinal materials upon them. Only then did he allow Mingzhu and Fu Mingzheng to leave.
Mingzhu discussed with Fu Mingzheng, “I have some unfinished business in the palace. I’ll escort you and Father to the palace gate first and then rush home as soon as I can.” According to custom, she was supposed to mourn for Yuwen Bai, but since neither Yuwen Chu nor the Great Empress Dowager had demanded it, she had the privilege to go home to accompany Fu Cong.
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